Businesses fined for failure to guard staff

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Businesses have been warned to improve workplace security or face heavy penalties after a Sydney leagues club was fined almost $200,000 for not protecting its employees against the risk of armed robbery.

It is the third time in 12 months that the NSW Industrial Relations Commission has fined employers under legislation designed to protect employees' health, safety and welfare. Industry experts warn that many more businesses will have to invest in better security as robbers seek softer targets.

In the commission yesterday, Justice Roger Boland said "woefully inadequate" security at the South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club amounted almost to an invitation to be robbed.

In March 2002 a balaclava-clad bandit took a barman hostage at knifepoint and escaped with $10,000. Three staff members required time off work because of the trauma of the hold-up.

Justice Boland fined the club $195,000.

Last year Macquarie University and two security firms were fined $252,000 after a gunman robbed a university cashier who was carrying $22,000 in a briefcase. In another case, the ANZ Bank was fined $156,000 after robbers armed with guns and hammers were able to leap over a flawed anti-jump barrier.

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The acting director of WorkCover's industry programs group, Jenny Thomas, said the duty of a business to minimise the risks to its staff of the criminal actions of outsiders had always been part of occupational health laws.

"This is a societal shift we are seeing," she said. "It's a very real risk - and it is high-risk in terms of the consequences, whether it be death, serious injury or psychological injury. It's critically important for workplaces to focus on this area, because it is not going to go away."

Industry groups were working closely with WorkCover in the area of security, and advised businesses to contact their industry associations, she said.

The other outcome for South Sydney Juniors has been an overhaul of it security arrangements and staff training.

Before the robbery it spent $2000 a week on security arrangements and security guards.

It told the commission that it now spent $10,000 a week on security contractors alone.

"The steps taken ... show that whilst the provision of security is an expensive exercise, there was nothing impractical or difficult about having in place adequate security measures to avoid any risk to the health and safety of employees," Justice Boland said.

The deputy chief executive officer of ClubsNSW, Wayne Krelle, said the trend for thieves to be armed was affecting the ability of many clubs to get insurance against robbery.

"Clubs are attempting to counter increased incidents of crime by frequently meeting with the police local area commands, adding further security at venues, and also installing additional CCTV cameras," Mr Krelle said.

Preventive measures would improve the safety of clubs but would not stop armed robberies occurring elsewhere, he said.